[NAGDU] Growls are growing over Delta's new rules for flying with service animals

[Cindy Ray]

The cutesy headline might have been words poorly  chosen, and it always comes back to the excuse that they are also trying to keep us safe. I don’t see why they all don’t use tools already at their discretion. 
Cindy Lou Ray Cindy ray at gmail.com I think Becky and Julie nailed it.

Sent from my iPhone

> On Jan 28, 2018, at 7:10 PM, Ginger Kutsch via NAGDU <nagdu at nfbnet.org> wrote:
> 
>    Growls are growing over Delta's new rules for flying with service animals
> BY HARRIET BASKAS NBC News
> https://www.nbcnews.com/business/travel/amp/growls-are-growing-over-delta-s-new-rules-flying-service-n841376
> 
> Travelers and advocates are baring their teeth at Delta's new rule that passengers with service animals must submit paperwork two full days before flying.
> 
> While some fliers are cheering Delta Air Lines’ new, stricter rules for those traveling with service or emotional support animals, many long-time guide
> dog users and organizations that advocate for travelers with disabilities say the guidelines, which require added documentation and pre-planning, are over-reaching,
> discriminatory and illegal. 
> 
> Citing  a significant increase in the numbers and types of “comfort” animals passengers bring on planes — and an 84 percent increase in reported animal incidents such as urinating/defecating, biting and attacks — Delta announced last week that certification of a flyer’s need for an animal and proof of an animal’s training and vaccinations will be required for both service and emotional support animals. 
> 
> However, organizations such as The National Federation of the Blind believe elements of Delta’s policy, which goes into effect March 1, violate the Department of Transportation’s 
> Air Carrier Access Act.
> 
> “We are particularly troubled by the requirement that guide dog users submit paperwork to Delta 48 hours before flying,” the NFB said 
> in a statement, noting that “Travelers without guide dogs are not required to plan their travel 48 hours in advance.” 
> 
> The 48-hour ‘intent-to-fly’ requirement means guide dog users "will no longer be able to fly on Delta for family, medical or other emergencies,” said the NFB. 
> 
> “PEOPLE WITH PROPERLY TRAINED SERVICE ANIMALS ARE BEING PUNISHED.”
> 
> “We stand with NFB,” said Eric Lipp, Executive Director of the Open Doors Organization. “People with properly trained service animals are being punished
> by Delta.” 
> 
> Noting that it has “long been concerned with the abuse and fraud of animals purporting to be service or support animals,” the 
> American Council of the Blind also said Delta’s revised policy discriminates against passengers with legitimate service dogs and makes travel more difficult for individuals who rely
> on their service animals for travel. 
> 
> “I sympathize with the airlines,” said Pat Pound, a disability consultant who is blind and travels with a guide dog. “More people are cheating. Airlines are trying to maintain the system. But I don’t think Delta’s new policies will address the problem. And, as a person with a disability, I’ll end up being
> penalized.” 
> 
> An on-line  petition
> with more than 75,000 signatures is asking Delta not to make it harder for people to travel with emotional support animals — but other airlines are already
> exploring following Delta’s lead. 
> 
> “We agree with Delta’s efforts,” American Airlines said in a statement. “We are looking at additional requirements to help protect our team members and
> our customers who have a real need for a trained service or support animal.” The carrier said from 2016 to 2017 it saw an almost 15 percent increase in
> the number of customers traveling with emotional support animals. 
> 
> United Airlines is reviewing its existing policy on service and emotional support animals, said airline spokesman Charles Hobart. “This is something that
> is important to our employees and to our customers, including those with disabilities and those who do not have disabilities,” he said. “We understand
> this needs to be resolved soon.” 
> 
> The Department of Transportation had planned to draft new rules on service animals by July 2017, but those guidelines have yet to be released. 
> 
> Going forward, “I suspect there will be legal challenges to Delta’s policy on service dogs from individuals and from organizations,” said disability consultant
> Pound. “This is how an airline is deciding to interpret the law, but a court may have a different idea about what that the law intended.” 
> article end
> 
> 
> 
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